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5 undefeated teams remain as we head into week 4 of the NFL season. I went 9-7 a week ago, bringing my season total to 26-22.

Bye Week: Philadelphia and Green Bay

Thursday Night Football

Dolphins @ Bengals: Miami barely squeaked by the Browns last week, while the Bengals were beat down by the defending champs at home. The Dolphins got a big day from Jarvis Landry, but inconsistency continues to plague Ryan Tannehill, who threw a pick six in the win. Cincinnati got their running game going, but still lost to 1-2 for the first time in five years. After two very good weeks, Andy Dalton couldn’t do much against the Broncos defense. I like the Bengals at home with another good rushing game to get their second win of the season. CINCINNATI WINS

Sunday Morning Football

Colts @ Jaguars: London here they come! Indianapolis got their first win of the season last week, while Jacksonville is still looking for theirs. Andrew Luck has the uncanny ability to turn a bad day into a big day passing the ball, but the Jaguars defense isn’t the problem so far, so he’ll need help. Blake Bortles on the other hand, has been pretty awful for Jacksonville in his third year under center. So what happens this weekend across the pond? Give me a cleaner day from Luck to lift the Colts. INDIANAPOLIS WINS

Sunday 1PM Games

Bills @ Patriots: Three different quarterbacks have started for New England, but that hasn’t stopped the winning. And as for the Bills, they got their first win over a team many think, myself included, are a playoff team destined for a deep run. Both teams got big two-touchdown games out of their number 1 running backs, so look for another day of running the clock. The Patriots have to get through one more week without Tom Brady, and while they’ve done a great job doing so, and are very, very good at home, I’m taking the road team in this one. BUFFALO WINS

Titans @ Texans: It was a very bad week for Houston, who not only lost their Thursday game versus New England 27-0, they learned that JJ Watt re-injured his back and will be out the rest of the year. Tennessee’s week wasn’t much better, as they scored just 10 points in their loss to Oakland. Both teams enter action having scored the same amount of points through 3 games, but of course that’s skewed with the Texans O-fer last weekend. Marcus Mariota and Brock Osweiler have both thrown 4 interceptions so far this season, so whoever can limit mistakes has the edge. A Titans win puts them in a tie for the division early. But I don’t think they get it, because I like the Texans skill position players better. HOUSTON WINS

Lions @ Bears: The Lions are 1-2, but haven’t struggled in the passing game, as Matthew Stafford has found a new weapon in Marvin Jones after Calvin Johnson called it a career in the off-season. The silver lining there for the 0-3 Bears is that their defense has actually done okay against the pass so far this season. Chicago got a pretty good game out of Brandon Hoyer, who finished 30-49 for 317 yards, though most of that came with the game out of hand already. Both teams have the ability to get the points in the air, and with two middling defenses, that shouldn’t be a problem. So this game will be won in the trenches, and the edge there lies with the Lions. DETROIT WINS

Panthers @ Falcons: Carolina is another team I thought would have a great season, but has disappointed so far. Thanks to the struggles of the Panthers and the rest of the NFC South, Atlanta finds themself atop the division early on in the season. This dispite allowing 31, 28 and 32 points in their first three games. The Falcons may not be getting sustained success in their ground game early, they are getting it when it counts. Tevin Coleman has just 110 yards on the ground, but has 4 rushing touchdowns, including 3 on Sunday in New Orleans. Carolina entered action red-hot at home dating back to 2014, but we shut down by a red-hot Vikings defense a week ago. I still believe in the Panthers defense, and as hot as Atlanta has been, I think Carolina gets the win on the road.CAROLINA WINS

Seahawks @ Jets: The good news for Jets fans? Ryan Fitzpatrick can only be better than he was a week ago. The bad news? He has to be a lot better against the top defense in the league. After scoring just 3 points against L.A. in week 2, the Seahawks exercised some demons putting up 37 against the Niners. Russell Wilson was hobbled in the game, but still managed to leave with a nice lead. Big games from Christine Michael and Doug Baldwin helped get the offense back on track. New York can solace in the fact that they have had a pretty good run game all season, and while some of it came in garbage time, Seattle did allow the Niners to get over 130 yards on the ground, finding pay dirt twice. This shouldnt be as ugly for the Jets as it was last week, but it will still be a loss. SEATTLE WINS

Raiders @ Ravens: Baltimore finds itself among the undefeated teams heading into week 4, in large part thanks to their defense and a good day from kicker Justin Tucker. The Ravens are second in total defense through 3 weeks of play. Their opponents won their 2nd game by forcing three turnovers, with a sack after entering week 3 having allowed the Saints and Falcons to walk all over them. So based on defenses, Baltimore should have an easy win. But I actually like Oakland’s offense a lot more, and as someone who thinks this is a playoff team, I’ll take the Raiders in the upset. OAKLAND WINS

Browns @ Redskins: Cleveland should’ve gotten their first win of the season in Miami a week ago, but an inability to stop the air attack, and three missed field goals left them at 0-3. They gave themselves a shot, but couldn’t take it. Cody Kessler’s first career start wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t very good for Cleveland, though at this point, coming out healthy is huge for the Browns. Washington did get their first win, taking down the Giants on the road. After a couple lackluster offensive weeks, Kirk Cousins let it loose and got a number of big plays in the passing game to help get that first win and move back in the right direction to defend their NFC East title. So can the Browns get their first win this week? Yes. Will they? I don’t think so. They stayed in last week thanks to mistakes by Tannehill, but Cousins won’t make those same mistakes. WASHINGTON WINS

Sunday 4/425PM Games

Broncos @ Buccaneers: The Superbowl Champs are showing no signs of slowing down as they look to start the season 4-0. Denver got off to a slow start last week against the Bengals, but came on strong late thanks to a big day from rookie quarterback Trevor Siemian. Siemian threw four touchdown passes, including two in the fourth quarter for the win. Not to be outdone, the Broncos are a top flight defense that held down Andy Dalton and their rushing attack. They’ve got another tough test when they take on Jameis Winston this weekend. The Bucs 2nd year quarterback is tied for the league lead in touchdown passes so far with 8, though he has thrown six picks to. It won’t be a blowout, none of Denver’s games really have been, but it will be another win for the Broncos. DENVER WINS

Rams @ Cardinals: I’m shocked at the start the Cardinals are having at just 1-2. Carson Palmer has had a bad TD-turnover ratio through 3 weeks. Arizona isn’t getting quite out of David Johnson on the ground, while their defense is allowing the 5th most rushing yards per game. This is as good a week as any to get back to what they want to do in all phases as they take on their division rival Rams, who find themselves tied atop the division at 2-1. Los Angeles has rebounded nicely from a shutout on opening day, winning their last two games. The Rams tend to play up or down to their opponents, evident by a 9-3 home win over Seattle and a 37-32 shootout on the road in Tampa Bay. Going off those results, I’ll take the Cardinals at home in what should be a close game throughout between these two West foes. ARIZONA WINS

Cowboys @ Niners: Dallas couldn’t have asked for more from rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliot through three weeks. The Tony Romo-less Cowboys were a game-winning field-goal away from being 3-0 right now. Dez Bryant has a hairline fracture in his knee but is still expected to play this weekend. San Francisco was manhandled in week 3, and still isn’t making a change back to Colin Kaepernick. The biggest thing the Niners have going for them is Carlos Hyde has looked pretty good. I like what the Caowboys have done this season, but I have a feeling about San Fran this week. It might be a bad feeling, but I’m rolling with it.SAN FRANCISCO WINS

Saints @ Chargers: It’s still early, but the Saints need to start picking up some wins quickly if they want to make the playoffs as I predicted they would as a wildcard team in the NFC. The offense hasn’t been the problem. Drew Brees is already over a 1,000 yards passing, with an 8-1 touchdown to interception ratio, though that one interception last week was a fourth quarter pick six for Brees. New Orleans defense hasn’t been been able to stop anyone, as they’ve allowed the 2nd most total yards. Worst at stopping the run, that’s where the Chargers will need to take advantage this week. But without Danny Woodhead, San Diego needs Melvin Gordon to get going, so this is the perfect opportunity for that. I like Philip Rivers, but I like Drew Brees more. Give me the road team to get win number 1 this week. NEW ORLEANS WINS

Sunday Night Football

Chiefs @ Steelers: What a defensive performance put on by the Chiefs this past week! Two defensive touchdowns and six interceptions helped Kansas City get the easy win over the Jets. The offense wasn’t great, but they didn’t need to be with that showing on defense. Alex Smith continued to show his game management skills, and why Travis Kelce is one of the better tight ends in the league right now. They’ve got a desperate Steelers team thsi week, who didn’t score a touchdown in a week 3 beatdown by the Eagles. After two very good weeks, DeAngelo Williams was stymied on the ground, so the rushing attack will gladly welcome back Le’Veon Bell from suspension this week. The biggest test for the Kansas City defense will be stopping Antonio Brown, but I don’t think it will matter much even if he does have a big day. KANSAS CITY WINS

Monday Night Football

Giants @ Vikings: This should be a battle of two unbeatens, but a late game collapse left the Giants at 2-1 heading into today. Too many penalties, a couple late turnovers and allowing Washington to open up the field multiple times led to the home loss for New York. They lost Shane Vereen to a triceps injury as well. Eli Manning and company need to do more in the passing game, and they have the capability with three wide receivers. The bad news for New York is that the Vikings are running on all cylinders right now. Their defense has been relentless through three weeks, and despite losing starting QB Teddy Bridgewater before the season started, the offense has been very good. Sam Bradford has come in and fit in better in two weeks then he’s done in the first few seasons of his career. It’s going to be tough for the Giants on the road, but I like New York will figure things out and get back in the win column. NEW YORK WINS

It’s not often that 1 player goes off for 200+ yards on either the ground or in the receiving game. But this week we saw 3 players have exception games. How about 3 to 4 touchdowns for one player? There were a few of those as well.

NFC EAST (This One’s Going Down to the Wire)

Cowboys: They got off to a slow start, but were able to come back from a 21-7 deficit to maintain their tie atop the division. An opening kick-off fumble by Terrence Williams was returned for a score, putting them down as quick as you can be down. DeMarco Murray was huge in the redzone, scoring 3 rushing touchdowns, adding a number of big catches to help lead the comeback. Tony Romo managed the game well, finishing with 235-passing yards and a touchdown pass to Dez Bryant. Back-up rusher Lance Dunbar added a career-high 82 yards in the ground game. It’s the first time all season Dallas is 2 games over .500. (7-5)

Eagles: Make it 19 touchdown passes with no interceptions for Philly savior Nick Foles. Though he did throw a pick in the game, it didn’t go against him as it was called back on a defensive penalty. No matter what, Foles continued to shine against a very good Arizona defense, throwing 3 touchdown passes for 237-yards in their 4th straight victory. He also set an Eagles record for most passes without an interception (233), breaking Michael Vick’s mark of 224 set in 2010. DeSean Jackson went over the 1,000 yard mark for the season. Rookie receiver Zach Ertz on 2 of his 5 catches on the day. The only concern is this team continues to be shutdown in the 4th quarter, something that gave Arizona multiple chances to steal a win on the road. But the defense held, and the division crown still remains in play.(7-5)

Giants: Big Blue rallied from 14-0 down to at least keep their slim playoff chances alive, thanks in big part to their run game in the red-zone, and their defense. Justin Tuck looked like his old self, racking up a career high 4 sacks, and after a bad start, the defense held the Skins to just 95 2nd half yards. The run game overall wasn’t spectacular, but Andre Brown made his 35-yards count, scoring two touchdowns including the go-ahead score. Eli Manning threw touchdown, and one interception, the Giants lone turnover of the game. They’re the only team with at least 1 turnover in every game this season. (5-7)

Redskins: RG-still-stuck-at-3-wins and company got off to a very hot start Sunday night, but cooled off late. Griffin was 16-for-17 at halftime, but went just 8-for-15 in the second half, and was dropped 5 times. Washington had a chance to go the length of the field in the final minutes to try and tie. But a mix-up by officials with a 1st down being called a second with no measurement, the Skins play calling suffered and ultimately resulted in having to go for it on 4th down, and not converting. The loss officially eliminates them from the playoffs. (3-9)

NFC NORTH (Detroit Puts Some Separation Between Themselves and the Rest of the Division)

Lions: The Thanksgiving Day skid came to an end at 9 thanks to a big day from just about everyone. Matt Stafford got off to a shake start, but he finished with over 300-yards passing, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Calvin Johnson caught one of those TDs, his 5th straight Turkey day score, as well as his 5th straight game this season. Reggie Bush put an opening drive red-zone fumble behind him, rushing for 117-yards and a score in the rout. The win helps put them in the driver’s seat for the division title. (7-5)

Bears: Matt Forte finished with 120-yards on the ground, and that wasn’t even the best total on the ground in the game, let alone the best from scrimmage total on his team. Rookie wide-out Alshon Jeffery went off for two touchdowns and 249-yards receiving, giving him the two best receiving games in Bears history, ever. The usually sure-footed Robbie Gould wasn’t so on point though, missing 2-of-4 field-goal attempts, including a 47-yard attempt that would’ve won it in overtime.(6-6)

Packers: Matt Flynn “savior” wasn’t to be this week. After a 10-3 start, the Pack were completely shut down by the Lions. The defense did all it could, forcing 3 turnovers, including the early fumble they returned for Green Bay’s lone touchdown of the game. But they couldn’t outplay their quarterback. Flynn threw a pick, lost two fumbles and was sacked in for a safety in the 3rd quarter. The loss doesn’t put them out of contention for a wildcard spot or the division title, with a game against Chicago left. But it does make things harder. Aaron Rodgers could be back in week 14.(5-6-1)

Vikings: Down 20-10 after 3 quarters, 10 unanswered in the 4th forced overtime for the second straight week. The Vikings were 1:43 away from their second straight tie, but a Blair Walsh 34-yarder gave them the win instead. Walsh missed a 57-yarder earlier in overtime but Minnesota was given new life after the Chicago miss. Oh and in case you forgot, Adrian Peterson is really, really good. Peterson ran for 211-yards on 35 carries for a 6-yard-per-attempt average. Christian Ponder went down with an injury early in the game, and Matt Cassel came in and did a good job in his place. Cassel threw 1 touchdown to Greg Jennings, a pick and finished with 243-yards in the air. (3-8-1)

NFC SOUTH (We Have a Battle For 1st Place on our Hands)

Saints: Other than one long drive in the 1st to cut the deficit to 17-7, the Saints offense looked like a shell of themselves. The one touchdown went to Jimmy Graham. Drew Brees was held under 200-yards passing, and the run game was non-existent. Just one turnover, but it was recovered for a touchdown early. Those 7 points scored by New Orleans, according to NFL.com, are the lowest scored by the Saints since Sean Payton became headcoach in 2006. Making things worse, plane troubles kept them in Seattle overnight. (9-3)

Panthers: 8 straight wins and this time around, it was never in doubt. The defense ravaged Tampa’s offense, holding them to just 2 field-goals, recording 5 sacks and forcing two turnovers. Cam Newton did throw 2 picks, but he also threw for 263-yards and two touchdowns to go with 68-yards on the ground and a rushing score. 5 receivers finished with at least 35-yards, with Brian LaFell and Ted Ginn Jr each finding the end-zone. Now they sit tied for 1st, with 2 games to go against New Orleans.(9-3)

Buccaneers: They actually led the Panthers, not for long and not by much, but in a 21-point loss, I guess you take any positives you can find. Mike Glennon has been very good for Tampa, but not this week as Tampa saw their win streak snapped at 3 games. Glennon went on to post 14-21 completions, 180-yards, no touchdowns and an interception in the loss. The defense did all it could, forcing a couple turnovers, but they had no real answer for Newton short of those takeaways. (3-9)

Falcons: It took overtime, but the skid ends at 5 for Atlanta. Steven Jackson had his first multi-touchdown day as a Falcon as a part of an 84-yard rushing performance. Matt Ryan didn’t throw any interceptions, something foreign to him this season, but he did lose one fumble. Ryan was good throwing the rock though, finishing with 311-yards passing and a touchdown pass to Tony Gonzalez. Roddy White had nearly 150-yards receiving. They never led in regulation, and won it thanks toMatt Bryant’s 2nd field-goal of the game in the extra frame.(3-9)

NFC WEST (Seattle Just Continues to Fly Higher)

Seahawks: It was all Seattle early, thanks to a fumble recovery for a score for Michael Bennett, his first careers touchdown. And it stayed Seattle’s night, thanks to Russell Wilson, whose throws we’re on point all game long. The 2nd year quarterback threw for 310-yards, 3 touchdowns and added another 47-yards on the ground. The defense was huge against a potent Saints offense, holding them to under 50-yards rushing and Brees to under 200-yards passing, a rare feat.Home field throughout the playoffs looks way more likely now with a 2-game lead over the rest of the NFC. (11-1)

49ers: There was a big time Anquan Boldin sighting in week 13, as the wide-out caught 9 passes for 98-yards. Tight-end Vernon Davis added an athletic leap over a defender, 82-yards and a score to San Fran’s 10-point division win. Colin Kaepernick threw for nearly 300-yards and a score. 3 Phil Dawson field-goals and a Frank Gore rushing touchdown was the rest of the niners offense as they put a game between themselves and Arizona. They never trailed, and currently hold the 6th and final playoff spot in the NFC. (8-4)

Cardinals: They put themselves in a 21-7 hole early, and they were never able to fully recover. Carson Palmer threw 3 touchdown passes, but also threw 2 interceptions, as well as lost a fumble. Those 3 turnovers proved costly in a 3-point game. Rashard Mendenhall had one of his better games of the year, picking up 79-yards on the ground, but it wasn’t enough. Michael Floyd came up just short of the 100-yard receiving mark, while Larry Fitzgerald added another 72 in the passing game. Both scored touchdowns. The loss hurts drops them back in the hunt for a wildcard spot, but they still have a better shot than most.(7-5)

Rams: They did a decent job of holding down the 49ers early, but the offense couldn’t do much against San Fran. Kellen Clemens finished with over 200-yards passing, a touchdown and an interception, while Zac Stacy gained 72 on the ground. But drives stalled, and they had to settle for field-goals rather than touchdowns on 2 of them. They are still much improved over last season, but with 3 teams to jump in their own division, the playoffs aren’t realistic. (5-7)

AFC EAST (It’s Still The Pats Division)

Patriots: They won, but I wouldn’t be too proud of myself if I was a Patriots player after Sunday’s performance Down 17-7 at the half to a 2 win Houston team, they needed a big 2nd half to save themselves from a bad loss. The game saw 5 lead changes as Tom Brady finished with 371-yards passing, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Both Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman finished with over 100-yards receiving. LeGarrett Blount added a score in the run game. But they couldn’t stop the run in the red-zone, allowing 4 rushing touchdowns. They rallied again, but the defense was suspect and their run game wasn’t great.(9-3)

Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill finished the must-win game completing 28-of-43 passes for 331-yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. 4 players combined for over 120-yards on the ground, including 22 from Tannehill. The defense took advantage of a down New York offense, holding them to just 3-points. Brian Hartline and Mike Wallace combined for over 200-yards and 2 scores while 3 Caleb Strugis field-goals book-ended the scoring for Miami, who keeps playoff hopes alive. (6-6)

Jets: Well, they’re in a free-fall now. Geno Smith hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass since before the World Series began, and was finally benched in favor of Matt Simms. not that it made a difference. Smith went 4-for-10 for 29-yards with an INT before being replaced by Simms, who completed 50% of his passes for 79-yards, a fumble lost and a pick. The only offense New York could muster was a 2nd half Nick Folk field-goal. After not winning or losing 2 straight, the Jets are now on 3-game losing streak, and see their playoff hopes die with each loss. (5-7)

Bills: They had their chance to win in regulation on a possible game winning drive, but a lost fumble ended those hopes, and they eventually fell in overtime. It was a good day for the running backs, with CJ Spiller nearing the 150-yard mark, while Fred Jackson scored a rushing and receiving touchdown. But a couple lost fumbles, and their defense’s inability to stop Atlanta, meant disaster. (4-8)

AFC NORTH (The Ravens are Trying to Fly Back into the Race)

Bengals: Andy Dalton’s 190-yards passing put him over 3,000 for the season, making him just the second quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least 3,000 in each of his first 3 seasons. Peyton Manning is the other. Ben Jarvis Green-Ellis had one of his better games of the season, picking up 92-yards and finding the end-zone for the games first score. The defense showed up big time, forcing 3 turnovers, and 2 sacks to help maintain their 2 game division lead.(8-4)

Ravens: It was close throughout on Thanksgiving night, but Baltimore held on in the end, stopping Pittsburgh on a late 2-point conversion to hold on and keep playoff hopes alive. It was a first quarter Joe Flacco to Torrey Smith 7-yard touchdown pass that put Baltimore up for good. And then it was the Justin Tucker, who continues to have a monster season, hitting on all 5 of his field-goal attempts. (6-6)

Steelers: Jerricho Cotchery’s 1-yard touchdown catch with a minute left in regulation looked like it might force overtime, but a failed 2-point conversion meant a loss. The Steelers couldn’t recover from an early 13-0 deficit, despite 73-yards and a rushing touchdown by Le’Veon Bell. Ben Roethlisberger did everything he could to help lead his team to a comeback win on Thanksgiving, throwing for over 250-yards, 2 touchdowns and no turnovers. But the road win and a .500 record wasn’t to be.(5-7)

Browns: Cleveland scored a touchdown in every quarter, but it wasn’t enough as they allowed a late score to Jacksonville. The loss spoiled a historic effort from wide-receiver Josh Gordon, whose team record 261-receiving-yards made him the first player in NFL history to have back-to-back 200-yard receiving games. Gordon also had 2 touchdowns, including one late in the 4th that looked like it might be the game-winner. Brandon Weedon had a very up and down day in his return to the starting lineup. He threw for 370 and 3 scores, but also threw two picks, lost a fumble and took a 4th quarter safety. The loss brings their losing streak to 3 games. (4-8)

AFC South (Indy on the Verge of Wrapping This One Up)

Colts: 1 more win, another Titans loss, or a tie would give them the AFC South crown thanks to their 8-point victory over Tennessee. It wasn’t an impressive win for the offense, but sometimes you have to win ugly. Adam Vinatieri continues to show why he’s one of the best kickers to ever play the game, hitting all 5 of his field-goal attempts, including a go-ahead 49-yarder in the 3rd quarter. Andrew Luck struggled again, finishing with just 200-yards passing, no touchdowns and an interception. Donald Brown’s touchdown run in the 4th sealed the victory. (8-4)

Titans: They held in there against Indy, even taking a 14-12 lead in the 3rd quarter, but the Colts defense got to Ryan Fitzpatrick. Tennessee’s quarterback finished with 201-yards passing, a touchdown, 54-yards rushing, but 3 interceptions and a fumble loss. Those turnovers helped a struggling Colts offense to set up those 5 Vinatieri field-goals. The loss basically puts them out of range of a division crown, but they are still in the hunt for a wildcard. (5-7)

Jaguars: Dont look now, but the Jags are on a winning streak, and no longer have the worst record in the league. Their 2nd straight win came in comeback fashion, capped off by a 20-yard touchdown pass from Chad Henne to Cecil Shorts with just 40-seconds left in regulation. Maurice Jones-Drew had himself a day, picking up 77-yards on the ground, and throwing an 8-yard touchdown, his first (you know because he’s a runningback). The defense wasn’t great, but they got the win anyway. (3-9)

Texans: Early on, it looked like they might snap their skid, instead the losing streak hit 10 thanks to a 3-point loss to New England. Ben Tate was huge in the red-zone, scoring 3 touchdowns of 20, 10 and 8 yards. Case Keenum added a rushing score of his own, to go along with his 270-yards passing and 1 interception. Andre Johsnon finished with over 100-yards receiving. They put up a good fight against a very good team, but a final game-winning drive stalled and they couldn’t get that 6th lead change for-the-win. (2-10)

AFC WEST (The Chiefs Picked the Wrong Time to Start Losing)

Broncos: They put themselves in a touch position early against a good team, but for the 3rd straight game KC’s defense was lacking, and Peyton Manning took advantage. After 2 early interceptions, Manning went on to throw for 400 yards and 5 touchdown passes. Eric Decker was the beneficiary, registering a career day 174-yards and 4 touchdown passes. Rookie running back Montee Ball added a career high 103-yards on just 4 carries. One concern was the fact that Von Miller went down twice in the game, though he would continue both times. The win all but ensures them the AFC West crown after taking both games of the season series against Kansas City. (10-2)

Chiefs: From 9 wins in a row, to 3 losses in a row. The offense did all it could, picking up over 400-yards of total offense, and going up 21-7 in the 1st half. Add to that a franchise record 108-yard kick-off return touchdown from rookie Knile Davis, and it looked like it might be their day. But the Chiefs defense betrayed them again, allowing Eric Decker to run circles around Champ Bailey all day. They’re lucky the AFC wildcard isn’t as tightly bunched as the NFC, as they have a 3 game lead over the 6th seed, so their playoff dreams are still very much in tact. (9-3)

Chargers: The defense wasn’t the problem, it was the offense against a good Cincinnati squad. Their lone touchdown was scored by tight-end Ladarius Green, in the 2nd quarter. San Diego was held to just 1 field-goal in the 2nd half. Keenan Allen found a way to have another good day, catching 8 Philip Rivers passes for 106-yards. Rivers finished the loss with 252-passing-yards, the Green TD pass, and an interception. This team has been inconsistent all year, and Sunday was just another example of that. (5-7)

Raiders: They returned the opening kick-off fumble for a touchdown. And gave themselves a nice 2-score cushion on Thanksgiving, but the Cowboys are just a better team. After those 21 first half points, they managed just 1 field-goal in the 2nd half. 2nd year wide-out Andre Holmes had a nice game, 5 catches for 136-yards, but that’s where the good days ended. Sure, Rashard Jennings found the end zone twice, but only had 35-yards rushing. Matt McGloin threw a pick, and no touchdowns as a part of his 255-yard passing performance.(4-8)

There you have it. If week 13 wasn’t fun enough for you, week 14 promises to be even more eventful as the playoffs inch closer.

It’s time for the holidays, which means three games kick off the action on Thursday. I’d say that’s a good enough reason to say Happy Thanksgiving.

Last week I was 7-7 (including the tie) last week. Here’s to a better showing in week 13.

Thanksgiving Day Games

Green Bay @ Detroit: It’s a battle for first place in the NFC North to kick-off all the holiday action. A Packers win vaults them back into 1st thanks in part to their tie from a week ago. A Lions win gives them a big edge over the rest of the field. Aaron Rodgers is still not back, and it remains to be seen if Matt Flynn or Scott Tolzien gets the call for the Pack, though Flynn is expected to get the nod. So for that reason, give me Matt Stafford to bounce back from a rough performance in week 12. DETROIT WINS

Oakland @ Dallas: The Raiders have looked a lot better this year, and the Boys have been up and down. But Dallas is used to playing on Thanksgiving, and if ever there was a time for them to live up to their potential, it’s now in a weakening NFC East. The biggest threat to a Cowboy loss is their inability to stop the run a week ago against New York, with Rashad Jennings having a breakout season this year for Oakland. But even if Jennings can put up a lot of yards on the ground, I still see the Boys pulling out the Turkey day win. DALLAS WINS

Pittsburgh @ Baltimore: Both teams got of to slow starts, but have been coming on strong of late. The AFC North rivals now battle for 2nd place, and a possible wild card berth. The Steelers are on a 3-game win streak, but I think the Ravens defend their home turf and get the run game going again. BALTIMORE WINS

Take a second and tell me which of these games sounds best with a side of turkey?

Tennessee @ Indianapolis: Both teams currently have spots in the playoffs. But a Colts loss would mean just 1 game separation in the AFC South. Indy has been getting off to horrible starts of late but the Titans offense hasn’t been great either. I just think the Colts are the better team, and this will be a good test and game to get back on track heading into the playoffs. It will also all but lock up the division crown. INDY WINS

Jacksonville @ Cleveland: The Jags have played better in the 2nd half of the season, where as the Browns are struggling after a fast start. And it hasn’t gotten any better for Cleveland, who lost a 3rd different starting quarterback to injury last week. That means Brandon Weedon, or their opening day starter is back under center. And I think that makes the difference. The Jags have been pretty good defensively of late but I think the Browns find a way to get their 5th win of the year. CLEVELAND WINS

Tampa Bay @ Carolina: Two teams on win streaks do battle in Carolina. The Panthers have rebounded in a big way from a 1-3 start, while the Bucs haven’t lost since picking up their 1st win of the season. The division foes may both be hot, but the Panthers have something to fight for, and playing at home, I see win number 8 in their future. CAROLINA WINS

Chicago @ Minnesota: The Bears defense hasn’t been good since their 3-0 start. The Vikings get very little offense outside of Adrian Peterson these days. Jay Cutler is expected to remain out for this one, but Josh McGown has done a pretty good job. I think the Bears can get back to their take-a-way selves, and rattle Christian Ponder. CHICAGO WINS

New England @ Houston: The Texans season has been very disappointing, while the Pats just continue to chug along. I don’t see the Texans losing out the rest of the season, but I also can’t see them winning this week, especially with the good feelings New England is coming off after a huge comeback on Sunday Night over the Broncos. NEW ENGLAND WINS

Arizona @ Philadelphia: Both teams are flying high, and both are in the hunt for a playoff spot. Nick Foles will in fact remain the starter for the Eagles, and for good reason, as he’s one of the biggest reasons for their 3-game win streak. Philly hasn’t been good at home this year. And I think the Cardinals are defense is for real, showing why this team got off to a 4-0 start a year ago. With a real quarterback this team has been good all year. And I think they take another step towards a possible Wild Card berth. ARIZONA WINS

Miami @ New York Jets: Neither team has been good lately. Geno Smith is starting to hit the rookie wall, and the run game for the Jets hasn’t been consistent. The same can be said for Miami, who continue to struggle after the loss of offensive linemen Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin. I can’t see this being a clean game, but I think the Jets get back on track, at least for a week. NEW YORK WINS

4/4:25PM Sunday Games

Atlanta @ Buffalo: The Bills are coming off a bye, the Falcons have the worst record in the NFC. It’s crazy to say that, but a Vikings tie dropped them in the 16th spot. Buffalo isn’t too much better off, sitting at the bottom of the AFC East. The Falcons defense was pretty good against a very good Saints team last week, and the Bills aren’t even in the same league as New Orleans. For no other reason than I have liked Atlanta’s roster all year, despite the losses, I think the Falcons finally snap their 5-game skid. ATLANTA WINS

St. Louis @ San Francisco: This should be fun. Both NFC West teams boast shutdown defenses and good run games. The 49ers have been up-and-down lately, while the Rams are coming off two very good blowout wins. I think this will be more of a defensive struggle, with the Rams finding a way to come out on top. This team gave the Niners fits a year ago, and I think it continues. ST LOUIS WINS

Cincinnati @ San Diego: The Chargers are coming off a huge win over the Chiefs, further showing the potential of this team. But they have been very inconsistent basically the time Philip Rivers has been there, so it’s hard to trust them. The Bengals have had it easy all season in the AFC North, and are coming off their bye. San Diego has been shut down by lesser defenses, and only took off last week following Kansas City’s defensive injuries. So give me the road team to pounce on the previously mentioned inconsistent Chargers. CINCY WINS

Denver @ Kansas City: They enter action tied for 1st, with the Broncos holding the edge thanks to a big win two weeks ago. Whoever wins this time around could end up the number 1 seed in the AFC this year. If you asked me who was winning this game based on how the Broncos played last week, I’d say KC. But while the Chiefs played very well on offense, they lost a lot of key pieces on defense, and if they get into another shootout, I can’t see them out-dueling Denver. After a 9-0 start, it’s hard to say they’ll lose a 3rd in a row, but I can’t see Peyton Manning having a 2nd bad performance in a row. DENVER WINS

Sunday Night Football

New York Giants @ Washington: Both teams are coming off losses, and are just trying to stay out of last place in the East. New York got a lot of good out of their offense a week ago, with Eli Manning committing no turnovers for just the 2nd time this season, and a huge effort on the ground. The defense wasn’t bad either. As for the Redskins, they were not impressive offensively yet again, and the defense wasn’t anything to write home about. So give me the road team to have one of their better games of the year. NEW YORK WINS

Monday Night Football

New Orleans @ Seattle: One of the better Monday night match-ups of the season. It’s a huge game in terms of who finishes as the number 1 seed in the NFC, with these two teams entering action with the 2 best records in the conference. The Saints are not the same team on the road as they are at home, and having to go to the place with arguably the best home-field advantage in football isn’t going to help that. I thin it’ll be a close game throughout, but give me the Birds at home. SEATTLE WINS

There you have it. Enjoy your long holiday weekend Scoreboard watchers. May the turkey be as juicy as the story-lines that pop up this week in the NFL.

12 down. 5 to go. Divisions have tightened up, making for a fun last month of the season.

How do I sum up week 12? Big Losses, Bad Losses, and a tie… oh my god football is great.

NFC EAST (It’s Officially a Two Horse Race)

Eagles: Bye Week. (6-5)

Cowboys: Tony Romo has been exceptional in the 4th quarter this season, and showed it once again. Big 3rd down conversions helped set up a Dan Carpenter game winning 35-yard field goal. Romo finished with 2 touchdown passes, both to Jason Witten. Dez Bryant finished with 102-yards, and DeMarco Murray ran for 86-yards on just 14 carries. A big fumble recovery for a touchdown helped get the Boys the win. Now the fate of the division lies in two match-ups with Philly starting next week. (6-5)

Giants: A late second field-goal sunk any hopes they had of completing a huge playoff resurgence. First half struggles included Victor Cruz’s first fumble returned for a score, and an inability to get into the end-zone. They ran the ball effectively with Brandon Jacobs and Andre Brown combining for nearly 200-yards, but abandoned the run in the red-zone.Eli Manning finished completing just 50% of his passes, but threw 2 touchdowns and no turnovers. They managed to score 15 unanswered to tie the score late at 21, but the defense struggled to stop Tony Romo on 3rd down in what became the Cowboys game winning drive. Strange play-calling and penalties are the biggest reason for their 4 game win streak coming to end.They lost both games to Dallas by a combined 8 points. (4-7)

Redskins: He’s not the same guy as the Robert Griffin III that own rookie of the year last season. RGIII finished with just 127-yards on 17-27 passing. THe offense couldn’t muster anything more than a couple Kyle Forbath field goals, both coming in the 2nd quarter. There won’t be a 7-game win streak to propel them into the playoffs this season. Now they have to hope they can beat the giants to stay out of last place, and not go from first-to-worst. (3-8)

NFC NORTH (A Tie Means Nobody Won this week)

Lions: They had a chance to get a last second win, instead Matthew Stafford threw his 4th interception of the game, sealing their fate. Stafford threw 3 touchdowns to go with those 4 turnovers. Calvin Johnson went over 100-yards again, while Nate Burleson had a good day in his return from injury, catching 7 passes for 77-yards and a score. This team continues to show potential, then have let-down games like this against bad teams. (6-5)

Bears:Josh McGown passed for 352-yards and two touchdowns with an interception. Chicago had a Devin Hester 62-yard punt return for a touchdown nullified by a holding penalty in the fourth quarter. But it didn’t matter, since the defense couldn’t stop the Rams offense. That’s nothing new for a defense that has struggled since their 3-0 start. Lucky for them, Detroit couldn’t put any separation between them.(6-5)

Packers: After an early touchdown, Green Bay couldn’t do anything on offense. That is until Matt Flynn came to the rescue, bringing them back to tie the game at 23 in the 4th quarter. But didn’t do it alone, getting a lot of help from running back Eddie Lacy, who got back over the 100-yard mark and found the end-zone. Scott Tolzien wasn’t horrible, scoring a touchdown on the ground, but he was just 7-of-17 before his benching. They forced overtime, and kicked a field-goal to take the lead, but because of the new overtime rules, Minnesota tied, and that’s how it ended. It was the first tie in the league since November of last season. (5-5-1)

Vikings: For 3 quarters, they shined. Adrian Peterson led the way with 146-yards rushing and a score, though he did lose a fumble. Blair Walsh continues to show why he’s one of the top kickers in the league, hitting on all four of his attempts. Christian Ponder threw 2 touchdowns and didn’t turn the ball over. But the defense wavered in the 2nd half, and nothing good happened in overtime. A tie for this team is better than nothing, but they had a 3rd win in sight and let it slip away.(2-8-1)

NFC SOUTH (The Final 4 Weeks are Going to be Fun)

Saints: They weren’t sharp, but they made the plays when they had to in order to get the 4-point road win. Drew Brees threw his two touchdowns to his tight-ends Jimmy Graham and Benjamin Watson. Pierre Thomas led the way on the ground with 73-yards on just 10 carries. All that damage came in the 1st half, with a Garrett Hartley field-goal the only New Orleans scoring of the 2nd half. But the defense pitched a shutout in the 2nd half, giving this team just enough for the win.(9-2)

Panthers: More late game heroics for Cam Newton, who engineered a game winning drive capped by a Greg Olsen touchdown with 43-seconds left in regulation. It was a rare slow start, 16 points allowed in the 1st half that made the comeback necessary. The game winner was Newton’s lone touchdown pass, though he did find pay dirt on the ground. Other than that rushing TD, Carolina had no real success on the ground.But the defense showed up in the 2nd half, pitching a shutout. The 7-game win streak is their longest in a decade. They kept pace with New Orleans ahead of their first match-up of the season next week, a game that becomes a battle for first. (8-3)

Buccaneers: Three straight wins, and they took down their best opponent in Detroit this time around. According to NFL.com, their 3 game win streak after losing the first eight of the season puts them in rare company, joining the 1978 St. Louis Cardinals as the only teams to do so. Mike Glennon continues to show he can win in this league, completing 14-of-21 passes for 247-yards and 2 touchdowns. Bobby Rainey didn’t come close to his break out performance from a week ago on the ground, but it didn’t matter. It was Tiquan Underwood that had the break out week. The 5th year wide-out went for 108 and 2 scores on the day. And obviously the defense did a good job turning Stafford over 4 times to help hold on in the end.(3-8)

Falcons: A loss on Thursday Night meant a lot of bad things for Atlanta. Their 5th straight defeat ensured their first losing season since 2008, and eliminated them from playoff contention. This is not how anyone saw a Superbowl favorite showing up this season. Not saying much, but Matt Ryan had one of his best performances of the season, completing 30 of 39 passes for 292 yards with no interceptions, but no touchdowns either. Steven Jackson ran one in for his first rushing score as a Falcon. 2 Matt Bryant field goals made up the rest of the lack luster offense. The defense did a pretty good job holding a good New Orleans team to 17 points. (2-9)

NFC WEST (The Race For 2nd is On)

Seahawks: Bye Week. (10-1)

49ers: It’s always a good day when your defense holds the opponent to field goals. And he wasn’t good last week, but boy did Colin Kaepernick look good this week. San Fran’s man under center threw 3 touchdowns, finished with a total of 255-yards and no turnovers. Anquan Boldin was the recipient of two of those touchdown passes, with the other going to Vernon Davis. The run game was lacking, but they did enough to win and keep pace with the cards. (7-4)

Cardinals: This team continues to win, and this week they made a statement against a very good team. Carson Palmer threw for 2 scores and over 300-yards. Larry Fitzgerald caught five passes for 52-yards and 2 touchdowns, and according to NFL.com, become the youngest player in NFL history to reach 11,000 yards receiving. Jay Feely added 4 field-goals to the 40-point effort. The defense shut down the Colts offense, including a Karlos Dansby pick 6 in their 20-point 2nd quarter. Head Coach Bruce Arians beat the team that he was the interim head coach for a year ago when Chuck Pagano fought leukemia. They’ve moved themselves into playoff contention.(7-4)

Rams: I’ve said it all year, this defense is for real. And this week, the offense matched their greatness with a season high 42 points. It’s their 2nd game in a row where they’ve looked unstoppable on offense, and against good teams. 21 in the 1st quarter made it an uphill battle all game for Chicago, and they couldn’t recover. Kellen Clemens’ performance wasn’t anything to write home about, 167-yards, and a touchdown. The story was the run game. For a team that took til week 9 to drive it in on the ground, the Rams picked up rushing touchdowns from 3 different players. Rookie rushers Billy Cunningham and Zac Stacy each found the end zone, as did rookie wide-receiver Tavon Austin. The defense got a pick and forced 2 fumbles. (5-6)

AFC EAST (A Big Win All But Ensures New England’s Division Championship)

Patriots: An atrocious 1st half was followed up by an incredible 2nd half. Two early fumbles which led to 2 touchdowns put New England down 14-0 quick. Down 24-0 at the half, 31 unanswered points in the 2nd half to take a 1-score lead in the 4th quarter. Tom Brady was brilliant after early struggles, finishing with 344-yards passing and 3 touchdowns. Julian Edelman had a huge night, finishing with 9 catches for 110-yards and two touchdowns. After the defense allowed Denver to tie the score forcing overtime, Stephen Gostkowski hit his 21st straight to give them the big come-from-behind victory. (8-3)

Jets: It was all bad on Sunday, leading to their first 2-game losing streak of the season. Geno Smith was as bad as he’s been all season, completing just 9 of 22 passes along with committing 3 turnovers. The run game didn’t help, low-lighted by a Chris Ivory ankle sprain. It doesn’t help when the offense finishes just 1-for-12 on 3rd down conversions either. The defense wasn’t terrible, but they did lose Antonio Cromartie to a hip injury. (5-6)

Dolphins: They got off to a hot start against one of the hottest teams in the league, but then the Panthers defense tightened up, and the Miami offense had no answer. The run game continues to suffer following the bully scandal and the loss of two key offensive linemen. Ryan Tannehill passed for over 300-yards and threw a touchdown, while Caleb Sturgis hit 3 of his 4 field goal attempts. But all the good came in the 1st half before they could do nothing right in the 2nd half. Mike Wallace had 127-yards receiving and a touchdown, but missed on a possible game-winner from Tannehill. (5-6)

Bills: Bye Week. (4-7)

AFC NORTH (The Cats are Still Sitting Pretty, but Things Are Tightening Up)

Ravens: Jacoby Jones has a big day receiving, finishing with 103-yards on just 4 catches. Joe Flacco finished with 1 touchdown thrown to Jones, 1 pick and 273-yards passing. Justin Tucker continues to come up big, hitting all 4 of his field-goal attempts, including a 53-yarder. The run game disappeared again, but it didn’t matter with how the defense played. They didn’t allow the Jets to sustain drives, while recording 3 sacks and forcing 3 turnovers. The win puts Baltimore back in contention for a wildcard spot. (5-6)

Browns: The season got off to a promising start, but losing 6-of-7 have turned it into another season that could end at the bottom of the division. Injuries at quarterback have defined the season, and their 3rd starter of the season went down, when Jason Campbell left with a head injury after being sacked. Brandon Weedon came back in, but couldn’t help stop another loss. 4 turnovers, including 3 lost fumbles led to the two score loss. Not even Josh Gordon’s 227-yards receiving could help stave off defeat. (4-7)

AFC South (Indy Running Out of Luck?)

Colts: This team can’t continue to get off to such bad starts. After a strong 1st half of the season, this team is starting to show why a lack of a run game could hurt them in the playoffs. Andrew Luck came within 2-yards of being the team leader in rushing against Arizona, which can’t happen with a non-mobile quarterback. Luck wasn’t good passing either, throwing a pick 6, and throwing a garbage time touchdown to Coby Fleener. At this point, they’re just lucky they built up a big lead in the division with Tennessee not going away. (7-4)

Titans: Don’t look now, but Tennessee is the number 6 seed in the AFC. It took til the 2nd half to score a touchdown, but Ryan Fitzpatrick found the end-zone twice, including a game-winning strike to Kendall Wright with 10 seconds left in regulation. The defense held Oakland to one touchdown and field-goal attempts, and they were helped out by a couple misses. They also won the turnover battle, which was key in a 1 score game.(5-6)

Jaguars: Maurice Jones-Drew continues his 2nd half resurgence, rushing for 84-yards on 14 carries including a touchdown. Chad Henne managed the game well, throwing for 239 with no touchdowns but no turnovers. The defense held late as Houston drove down the field, when rookie Ryan Davis grabbed a deflected ball for the interception to seal the victory. (2-9)

Texans: Things went from bad to worst for a once highly thought of Houston squad. Make it 9 straight losses,dropping them into a tie for last place after the home loss to the Jaguars. Case Keenum was back under center after being benched in the 2nd half last week in favor of Matt Schaub. Keenum with his worst performance of his young career, completing just 18 of 34 passes for 169-yards and an interception. It’s hard to win when you can’t do anything but kick field-goals, no matter who you’re playing. (2-9)

AFC WEST (Denver Blows Opportunity to take a lead in the Division)

Broncos: A week after coming up big, Peyton Manning came up small on the road against New England. A season low 150-yards, two touchdowns and a pick, Manning couldn’t pick up a big road win despite being spotted a defensive touchdown and good field position on another early turnover. Knowshon Moreno did his best to save Denver, rushing for a career high 224-yards and a score. Bad news on Moreno, he as found on crutches after the game. The defense couldn’t do anything in the 2nd half, allowing the Pats to score on their first 5 drives of the 2nd half.(9-2)

Chiefs: Defensive injuries are piling up at the wrong time, leading to their 2nd straight loss. Both Tamba Hali and Justin Houston left in the 1st half with bad injuries. Alex Smith threw the ball as good as he has all year, going for nearly 300-yards, 3 scores and 1 pick. Jamaal Charles added his 7th and 8th rushing scores on the year as apart of a 115-yard performance. Dwayne Bowe’s touchdown catch with under 3 to play looked to be the dagger to help overcome their injuries, but it wasn’t to be.(9-2)

Chargers: Make it 11 wins versus the Chiefs for Philip Rivers. San Diego’s QB took advantage of Kansas City’s defensive injuries, torching the depleted secondary for 392-yards and three touchdowns, the final one a 26-yarder to Seyi Ajirotutu with 24 seconds remaining to snap their 3-game losing streak. Ryan Matthews and Danny Woodhead added scores on the ground. Their defense wasn’t great, but they were lucky Kansas City was so banged up, and that the offense clicked on all cylinders. (5-6)

Raiders: Sebastian Janikowski doesn’t miss many, but he missed two on Sunday, in a 3-point loss. Matt McGloin wasn’t too bad, throwing for 260, a score and a pick. Rashad Jennings couldn’t crack the 100-yard mark again, but it wasn’t a bad effort by Oakland. A win would’ve put them in the 6 seed in the AFC, instead they fall further down in the playoff hunt, and drop to the bottom of the West.(4-7)

That’s it. Week 13 approaches as division foes square off to better their playoff standings, play spoiler and pick up as many wins as possible.

5 down. 12 to go. And we still have 3 win-less teams, as well as 3 undefeated squads.

Washington, Pittsburgh, Minnesota and Tampa Bay were all on their bye weeks.

I’m deviating from breaking this down by record. Now that we’ve come to week 5, division races are starting to take shape. So let’s take a look around the league that way.

NFC EAST (The Under .500 Club)

Cowboys: Tony Romo had the best game of his career, becoming the 1st Dallas QB to throw for over 500 yards. But a late second interception led to a Broncos game-winning field-goal and a loss.But don’t focus on another Romo turnover. When you put up 48 points, you should win. The defense just couldn’t stop Peyton Manning. To be fair no one has yet this year. (2-3)

Eagles: Michael Vick went down with a hamstring injury in the 1st half, but Nick Foles didn’t miss a beat. Kicker Alex Henery shook off a shaky start to his season by completing all 5 of his field-goal attempts. (2-3)

Redskins: Bye week. (1-3)

Giants: The good news? The offense looked a little better. The bad news? They didn’t look good enough, with 4 more turnovers, 3 of which came courtesy of Eli Manning in the 4th quarter. The run-game remained anemic, and the defense generated absolutely no pass-rush once again. Changes need to come, and quick. (0-5)

NFC NORTH (Too Close to Call)

Lions: After a big win over Chicago last week, the offense sputtered without Calvin Johnson in the lineup against Green Bay. The running back tandem of Reggie Bush and Joique Bell couldn’t help Matt Stafford and the pass game either. (3-2)

Bears: It wasn’t a horrible performance by the defense a week after allowing 40 to Detroit. But they couldn’t get much going on offense. Aside from a huge day from wide-receiver Alshon Jeffery, who caught 10 balls for 218 yards and a touchdown, Chicago couldn’t do capitalize. Jay Cutler’s two fumbles, 1 which was lost didn’t help. (3-2)

Packers: It wasn’t the prettiest game, but a win’s a win. Most of the offense came from the leg of Mason Crosby, who kicked 5 field goals. Aaron Rodgers did connect on a long TD pass to James Jones to pull away in the 3rd quarter. (2-2)

Vikings: Coming off their bye week, they’ll have a new QB on the roster after signing Josh Freeman, who was released last week by the Bucs. (1-3)

NFC SOUTH (The Saints Are Running Away)

Saints: After starting last year 0-4, the turnaround in New Orleans has been a big one. One of the final 3 unbeatens, Drew Brees is having a great start to his year, as is the defense. Jimmy Graham tied an NFL record held by Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez with his 4th straight 100-yard game as a tight-end. Graham accomplished this feat back in 2011 as well. (5-0)

Carolina: Cam Newton had a very bad day Sunday against the Cardinals. The mobile QB did manage to throw for over 300 yards, but was also picked off 3 times, took a safety and was sacked 7 times. The defense had an okay day, but that many turnovers is hard to overcome. (1-3)

Atlanta: They came from 13 down to take a 1-point lead with less than 2 to play. Really they should’ve been up 4, but somehow instead of kicking a field goal to end the 1st half to get within 7, the Falcons instead chose to go for it on 4th and goal and were stuffed. For the first time in his career, Matt Ryan loses back to back games at home, and are now essentially 5 games out of 1st. (1-4)

Tampa Bay: Bye Week. (0-4)

NFC WEST (The Most Improved Division?)

Seahawks: They suffered their first loss of the season, a shootout loss with the comeback kids, the Colts. Going back even further, it was their first regular season loss since November 25th of last season. Russell Wilson had 300+ total yards in the loss, including 102 yards rushing. (4-1)

49ers: Another easy win for San Fran, this time coming against a Houston team that is struggling big time. Tramaine Brock’s pick six of Matt Schaub on the first pass of the game was all the niners needed in the 34-3 win on Sunday Night football. (3-2)

Cardinals: Their defense was the real star against Carolina, picking up 7 sacks, a safety and three interceptions. Carson Palmer’s day was nothing to write home about, neither was the run game, but they did enough to win thanks to short field position. (3-2)

Rams: A good game on all ends versus the now 0-5 Jaguars. Sam Bradford threw for 3 touchdowns, including 2 to Austin Pettis. The run game was pretty good as well. Big plays were the name of the game, including Matt Giordano’s 82 yard interception return for a touchdown. (2-3)

AFC EAST (You Can’t Just Hand New England the Division Anymore)

Patriots: They still lead the division, but they picked up their 1st loss of the year thanks to a shutdown Bengals defense. It was a low scoring game, something we’re not seeing from New England. And that’s because Tom Brady did something he hadn’t done in 52 games, he didn’t throw a touchdown. (4-1)

Dolphins: A 13-6 halftime lead wasn’t enough to save Miami from their second loss of the year. In a game of field-goals, Caleb Sturgis missed from 57-yards to tie the score with 33 seconds to go. The run game was non-existent, with starter Lamar Miller picking up just 15 yards on the ground. (3-2)

Jets: Geno Smith continues to show growth in his rookie season, leading his team on a game winning drive with under 2 minutes to play. The defense was lock down in the 1st half, but showed some holes in the redzone late. But it’s a big road win none-the-less. (3-2)

Bills: Not only did they lose their game with Cleveland, they lost starting QB EJ Manuel. On a scramble in the 1st half, Manuel took a hit to the knee, and suffered an LCL sprain, which could sideline him for up 6 weeks. Fellow rookie QB Jeff Tuel came in for Manuel, but didn’t look very good. The run game was on point, but it wasn’t enough on the road. (2-3)

AFC NORTH (Where Almost Everyone is 3-2)

Ravens: Justin Tucker had himself a day, going 4-4 on his field-goal attempts, including the game winner with 1:42 to go. Joe Flacco wasn’t a whole lot better than his 5-interception performance last week, but Ray Rice finally showed up on the ground, running in for 2 touchdowns. (3-2)

Browns: Three straight wins, despite losing QB Brian Hoyer to knee injury. Brandon Weedon lost the starting job to Hoyer when he went down with an injury, but returned to help lead Cleveland to another win. (3-2)

Bengals: The offense wasn’t great, but their defense pitched a Brady shutout. Ben Jarvis Green-Ellis ran in a 1-yarder for the games only touchdown in the 4th quarter. (3-2)

Pittsburgh: Coming off their bye (0-4)

AFC South (Houston We Have a Problem)

Colts: Another impressive win for Indy, this time handing Seattle their first loss of the year. Andrew Luck continues to show why he was the number 1 pick in last year’s draft, leading his team for a 9th career comeback win. The special teams for both squads showed up, including Delano Howell who scored for Indy on a 61-yard return touchdown of a blocked field goal. (4-1)

Titans: Tennessee lost, but put up a good fight against the undefeated Chiefs. Ryan Fitzpatrick, in place of the injured Jake Locker, ran in a go-ahead TD in the 4th. (3-2)

Texans: Ever since taking a 20-0 1st half lead in week 4 against Seattle, Houston has been outscored 57-3 in their 2 game losing streak. Matt Schaub threw a pick 6 for the fourth straight game (a 1st in NFL history), and was benched in favor of TJ Yates. (2-3)

Jaguars: Things have gone from bad to worse for the win-less Jags. After getting starting QB Blaine Gabbert back, he left their loss to St Louis with a hamstring injury, and lost 1st round pick OT Luke Joeckel for the year to a broken ankle. Things don’t look better with the 5-0 Broncos coming to town. (0-5)

(AFC WEST) Where You’re Either Undefeated or a Game Under

Broncos: This team has scored the most points through the first 5 games of a season in NFL History. And yet they almost lost to Dallas. The defense hasn’t needed to be on much this year, with Manning being so automatic (20 touchdowns, 1 rushing TD and just 1 interception). But they couldn’t stop the run or the pass against Dallas, something they need to fix, because odds are Manning will struggle one of these days. Maybe. (5-0)

Chiefs: Denver has company. They got pushed by Tennessee, nearly blowing an early 14-0 lead. But a Jamaal Charles touchdown in the 4th, apart of a 108-yard rushing performance, put them up for good. (5-0)

Raiders: Terrelle Pryor made it known Sunday Night that this is his team. Two touchdown passes in the 1st quarter put San Diego in a hole they couldn’t climb out of. The Raiders showed more faith in Pryor Monday, when they released off-season acquisition Matt Flynn. Their defense forced 4 turnovers, including one from veteran Free Safety Charles Woodson, who tied an NFL record with his 13th defensive touchdown. (2-3)

Chargers: The dilemma that is Phillip Rivers continues. 400 yards passing, but threw 3 interceptions. This team was 2-0, and now find themselves at the bottom of the division. (2-3)

So that’s a wrap on week 5. Week 6 kicks off with two desperate teams on Thursday Night Football. The win-less New York Giants head to Soldier Field to take on the Chicago Bears.